Where/How do you attach fender lines?

[Joe11688]

That's understandable. I would just go with whatever is fast and easy for you. The hitches do look ugly on the lifelines. I have to admit that.
When I worked for the power company, I tied knots and hitches on a daily basis. Today it just comes easy to me.

 

[Indysailor]

I find any knot or hitch neatly done and appropriately applied to be a thing worth looking at, Joe. Your creative use of them is always instructional.

 

[Pat]

If for some reason you hang them w/ a hangar that attaches to the lifeline, remember that if the lifeline is not hooked, it is not effective. That is the issue w/a lifeline attachment. I have better luck around a winch or thru the block on the genoa track, or of course an available cleat. Patrick

 

[anchorclanker]

My boat sat untended (and unvisited) at the slip for at least 3 years, and possibly much longer. Some of the dock lines were rotted but still holding. The fenders were all hanging from the life lines via clove hitches. The lines were pretty much done, but not one had come undone on its own, and all of them came undone easily once the fenders were raised.

None of the lifelines show any damage or strain where the fenders hung, however, this is a very calm and sheltered lake, and the marina is even more sheltered and boats at the back end of the marina, back in a hole. If the boat was in an area where it was taking constant dock hits those fenders would have let go years ago, and there is no telling what damage they might have done to the lifelines.

Better would be to rig a separate line between stanchions and hang them off of that.

 

[Gudenuph]

I ordered new fenders and I am learning to splice by using some extra Trophy Braid to make 6 foot fender whips with an eye splice in one end.
Trying to decide what I will hang the fender whips from.
What do you guys use?

For years we have satisfactorily hung the fenders, with 3/8 inch, 3-strand dacron line, from the lifeline stanchions or the 1/4 inch shrouds, with rolling hitches. These hitches hold well but allow easy positioning and are totally independent of the lifeline.

Geohan

 

[Joe11688]

I use rolling hitches quite a bit along with quick release clove hitches and round turn single slipped half hitches. These really come in handy when you hang tarps and tie them off to your lifelines. I want my tarps set so that I can put them up fast and break them down fast. Once you get used to tying these hitches to your lifelines, they will be ingrained and you won't even have to think about how to tie them. The more knots and hitches you learn, the better.